The truth about a complex built for veterans and the middle class and how it has evolved through the years to become one of the more interesting and controversial of New York stories.

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Management has two priorities: 1) Making sure money is made, hence upgrading and filling up apartments is their goal. "Amenities" are important in selling the place, though few residents use them. 2) If someone needs medical attention, Public Safety will be there, if alerted.

Quality of life issues are not that important, however. Things like the carpet rule or outsider dogs. These "rules" tend to be ignored, on purpose it seems. So you will see a lot that isn't taken care of properly, and complaints will be met with a creative excuse and a smile.

"Peace and quiet" must be a cruel joke, though this property is sold that way. There can be no peace and quiet as ALL apartments must be upgraded, which includes the installation of an AC unit below the window. Aside from the continual construction about the neighborhood, there is a new and noisy subway extension being built along East 14 st and the shut down of the L line. "Choosing" to live in NYC, now the newest mantra, is a fabrication when the talk is of ST and PCV, which was traditionally quiet, with no construction noise.

Though money was always important, it is now more important than ever. Money rules many things, as you will find.

At this point, 30 years into living here and seeing many things, I can state that Management and their reps are BS-ing us. I can't say that loudly enough: We are being BS-ed. I don't see any genuine change, though the "selling" of this place is intense. Few of the "rules" will be enforced, as Management doesn't want to lose customers or potential customers. Where personal integrity is a hallmark of an excellent management style, this integrity is not seen in enforcing some of the rules.

About those "club cars" we see going this way and that way, and outside of Stuy Town or Peter Cooper Village:

Thursday, October 20, 2016

PS Not Really At the Oval

So confirmed again! PS is not really at the Oval. Try to find an officer at times is very difficult unless you take a walk to their office.

Remember when... PS had a small building at the Oval itself? A PS officer, which they were not called then in MetLife times, would always be there. It was a duty, not to be taken lightly. There was a PS officer even when that building was knocked down and another one was placed where Oval Study is now. But with the new mini-hut located at the side of the Oval, it is rare these days to find a PS officer. Once in a while a PS guy walks around and positions himself somewhere in the vicinity, but he is gone the rest of the time. Otherwise, a PS officer on a moped will come speeding by once in a while. Even when he is in the "hut," the PS officer has more interest in his cell phone than what is happening around him.

This afternoon I saw three speeding bicycles go right by the PS office at the Oval. They (the PS officers) are turned the other way, studying the monitors, if at all.

The big question is does management care or is management clueless? Why not spend some quality time outside to monitor the place rather than sit in offices and think everything is going swell? It isn't going okay, but is management aware of this? Don't read the reports. If they tell you that things are okay, the reports are lying. People are protecting their asses. That seems to be the message here. Protect your ass at all costs.

The PS officers are not here to protect tenants. They are here to protect the corporate owners. Since they are a private corporate security force serving the corporate interests an no longer serving the tenant interests they really should be stripped of their NYPD powers.

The Alfred E Smith dinner seating chart lays out who the politicians are working for and Blackstone Studzinsky, Schwarzman and Bloomberg are the reason we are where we are today. All those at this dinner make out like bandits in every business deal while New Yorkers are barely getting by and struggling at every twist and turn.

I live in a different apartment complex build by MetLife with a pathetic residence association. 3 years ago, several of us resigned from the board and started a group focusing on health and safety issues. Management let us use their hall for a meeting, that had an overflow audience with representatives from our council member's office, Housing Dept., Building and Safety and local fire department. Since that initial town hall forum the leadership meets about every six weeks with management discussing issues in our complex and we are getting improvements, maybe not as fast as everyone wants, but they are happening. You just have to find a few people willing to organize a new group representing the STPCV residents, distribute flyers under each door and positive things should start happening. It takes more than STR to do the job, others have to step forward.

p.s. We are running our group without any funds. All communications, including our reports after each meeting, are by email.

Flex apartments are the biggest problem here in PCVST. They are unsafe in many ways. They put a lot of strain on the plumbing, electrical, gas, sidewalks, elevators, washers and dryers, all the workings of the buildings and the grounds. They are filling our common areas, the hallways, elevators, laundry rooms, recycling, basement storage with unfamiliar faces and revolving occupants. They are treating the property as temporary and disposable because they have no vested interest as permanent residents have. They are putting undue financial burden on permanent residents because the landlord is not reporting the correct room count as they are legally required to do. They are loud, very loud all hours. They are a dangerous fire hazard. The so-named flex apartments are the #1 hazardous situation. This is a real safety hazard that is not getting due attention except from this blog.

The TA says the meeting is an important meeting. Important to whom? Important to the TA who has an urgent message they want to convince us of? We see the results and lack thereof. We know the truth. This is an important meeting for them. Not us. Not bothering with them anymore.

9:44 AM (Oct. 21): I wish that we could form a group like yours. We know that our Councilman would not be with us, though; he owns the TA. I think the TA would put up a great deal of opposition and obstacles because they are owned by Management and are profiting from all the financial largesse that comes their way from City Hall. Also, the TA Board is made up of big egos (of Trumpian proportions!) who love to be in the spotlight being photographed with the sleazy politicians. Sadly, I really don't think such an initiative would stand a chance in this dump.

Congratulation to you and your neighbors for forming such a positive group.

October 21@10:50 AM, you are absolutely right. I think that what is going on here is totally illegal and dangerous. There has to be a lot of bribery and corruption between Management, DoB, FDNY and politicians to allow this to continue. If the corruption ever comes to light it probably won't be until after a catastrophic event resulting from the fire hazards presented by all these flex apartments. You have to realize that we are under the heel of a corrupt and greedy management and the TA and politicians are totally ok with what they do.

Another TA meeting because they say tenants will want to hear what the TA has been doing?!?!?!?! No we do not want to hear after the fact what the TA has been doing. We want to see it while they are doing it and we want to see real results. No results means they have to tell us with words what they have been doing. What is the point of that?

The daily smell of pot EVERYWHERE? That's probably the same situation as in the "projects". That's what this place has turned in to. These new owners could CARE LESS! I'll tell you what. As this behavior continues, you are not going toget nice people who want to be here. Word of mouth spreads pretty quickly. I am disgusted in living here anymore. It really $@*!'s here! Times have definitely changed here for the words, and the most frustrating thing about it is there is nothing we can do about. This place was such a nice place to live in, but has takena real 180. Can't stand being here.

Nassau Ed Mangano (arrested) tied to Harendra Singh (Indicted Cooperating with the Feds) Harendra Singh is tied to Mayor de Blasio's 2013 Campaign and Transition Team and Pre-K UPKNYC StuyTown tied to all three too: the 2013 Campaign, the Transition Team and the Pre-K

The City Council and Albany just made it legal for Blackstone to run hotels in Stuyvesant Town Peter Cooper Village by writing laws that rig the system. They have been running them anyway and Schneiderman pretends not to see because you know, Blackstone has money and permanent tenants do not. Now Dan can say "Well, its legal" about all the hotels in Peter Cooper Village Stuyvesant Town including any the Tenant Association has bulked leased. Cuomo and Schneiderman just rigged the system for their wealthy friends to push even more of us out of our homes. Thanks guys. Never voting for you for anything you ever run for.

What is the protocol for reporting college campus crimes? Was it registered with the State? Why is the commanding officer of the 13th precinct saying she did a good job? If a trained police officer is mugged, resisting or throwing the perp around a little may be a good idea, but this is a 20 year old young woman. Her phone is not worth her life. A mugger wants your phone, or your wallet give it to them and DO NOT initiate physical contact with a criminal.

"She did a real good job, she threw him around a little," said Deputy Inspector Brendan Timoney, the commanding officer of the 13th Precinct during a community council meeting on Tuesday."

She is 20, that is undergrad and not grad housing. She is a minor and not of legal age to drink which in New York and the country is 21.

It is 3:00 am and a minor is walking home to her college dorm, so what is the protocol cor campus safety for undergrads and campus reporting of crimes?

These are kids living in adult housing. That is not a safe equation for the students and not a safe equation for the families. How many undergrads are in our buildings coming home at 3:00 AM letting dangerous criminals into our buildings? That would not happen on undergrad campuses so why is it happening here in Stuyvesant Town?

"The robber found his next victim, a 20-year-old New York University student, as she was walking into her Stuy Town apartment building just before 3 a.m.. He followed the woman into her lobby and demanded she hand over her cellphone, according to officials."

I don't know: I see infractions of the "rules" when I go outside, so that by now I must assume that the ignorance of the "rules" here is almost purposeful. Management can clean it up, but for whatever reason they have decided not to. Except those spanking notices some of you received about your top lock. ;-)

8:02 AM, you are spot-on! That 20-year old girl was lucky not to get killed by that perp, even if she did toss him around a bit. And why do we have undergrads living here? Why are they allowed to drink? I guess they have fake id cards which the local boozeries accept with a nod and a wink.

Blackstone, the TA and Garodnick are squalid. Just plain squalid. They know that this place is being rented out to minors who are unsupervised and unsafe and are making it unsafe for everybody here. From the fire risks of the chopped up apartments to the "turn-a-blind-eye" so-called Public Safety officers, everything about the running of this place is morally squalid.

Management treats people whose keys they lost as if those people are criminals and approaches them in the most nasty way, but it should be noted that all of those tenants are long-term rent stabilized tenants. There is definitely a war being waged on that class of tenants.

We shouldn't be surprised at what is happening because Blackstone has a nation-wide reputation for buying distressed properties (rental and foreclosed) and then treating the tenants like shit. They are just doing what they do best and what they do best is what would be anybody else's worst!

On a recent evening I was walking toward 1st Ave on the 15 St Loop around 50 feet behind 3 college-aged males sharing a marijuana "joint" cigarette. Upon reaching the ST property boundary they stopped walking, finished smoking their marijuana joint and then proceeded to exit the property onto 1st Ave. Clearly, they consider the PCVST complex to be an extension of their campus where they are comfortable openly smoking marijuana without any concern for potential criminal liability. At most but unlikely, an alert PS officer might direct them to extinguish their marijuana joint. Most likely, these criminal offenses are ignored by passive PS ordered to avoid enforcing laws/regulations creating an uncomfortable atmosphere for transient students churning high profit PCVST dormitories.

For all the heated comments on this blog , almost all of which are delivered anonymously , I sat through all the speeches and most of the questions at today's TA meeting and I heard not one critical remark about the TA and the only topic that involved criticism of management was dogs

>>For all the heated comments on this blog , almost all of which are delivered anonymously , I sat through all the speeches and most of the questions at today's TA meeting and I heard not one critical remark about the TA and the only topic that involved criticism of management was dogs<<

How about bicycles around the Oval which are not supposed to be ridden?

I called out Rick Hayduk on his interaction with DHMH counsel and am in the midst of doing some follow up. But really had no plans to do so because of little support. I responded because it turned out dogs were on top of the tenant-management-issue list and primarily because at least one person had the nerve to stand up and ask about HC161.03. There's a world of difference between doing this and complaining anonymously. With a little more open support, maybe things could change.

I left after about two thirds of the tenants had asked their questions when yet another politician , Gail Brewer , showed up and wanted to add her 2 cents. So didn't hear any question about bicycles. Haydek seems to have heard all he wants to hear about curbing dogs as he curtly stated that curbing doesn't require dog owners to only allow their dogs to go in the streets

So what you are telling me is that it was bullshit time like all the other "important" meetings. I hear about the support, but a company that's willing to listen to residents wouldn't have to attend such meetings but instead they would read the blogs and respond to them. They don't care and will ram on to whatever they are doing or nor doing. I would take more pride in my property, and that's why I would never work for Blackstone.

Given the facts, I think there are three options: 1) Help Blackstone. But why? Doesn't make sense given the amount of money they have and the power they have. 2) Ignore it all. I'm sure some desperate tenants have done just that. 3) Continue "ramming" but from an individualistic side, ignoring Blackstone but doing what is correct. I opt for number three, but using my time when I can and when I have the energy and will-power. My choice, my time.

STR, I don't understand this thing about helping Blackstone. How are we helping or hindering them? I just pay my rent, obey the rules and mind my own business. I don't feel like I am helping or hindering Blackstone. If I were to start flouting the rules, such as being obnoxiously loud, subletting my apartment (I am real RS), having a dog (which I don't) and letting it defecate anywhere and everywhere without picking it up, I think I would be asking for trouble with the landlord. I don't do any of those things and nobody bothers me. How am I working for Blackstone? Or how am I not working for Blackstone?

If by "working for Blackstone" you mean seeking out illegal sublets, AirBnB tenants and reporting them to Management, then I don't do that and don't have the time or energy to ever do that. I get pissed off at the speeding bicycles, just like everyone else does, but there's nothing I can do about that situation. That is an area where I feel that Blackstone should be working for us by cracking down on these assholes, but they don't seem to care. I just don't walk through the property any more because walking on the FDR would probably be less risky! It's a shame that the property has become off-limits to some of us because of Blackstone's lack of interest or desire to do anything about it, but that's because they are not working for us.

the buildings are so fucking shoddy here. if the above tenants are jumping or running our dishes shake. I swear to holy fucking heaven if my antiques break from these fuckers above i will sue Blackstone for an insane amount of money. I swear this.

"the buildings are so fucking shoddy here. if the above tenants are jumping or running our dishes shake. I swear to holy fucking heaven if my antiques break from these fuckers above i will sue Blackstone for an insane amount of money. I swear this."

FYI, I have an inside track to the machinations of Blackstone and I can tell you that they read your post and are shaking in their boots.

Has the TA brought up the racing bicycles and skateboards around the Oval to Rick/Blackstone? Forget about the dog poo and pee which Blackstone seems to be okay with, having Rick own two dogs, but what about his rules? Is the TA concerned about them at all?

STR @ 10:53 AM. The TA is only concerned about wet umbrellas left to dry in the hallways. Dog shit and speeding bikes are ok with them. The meeting was bs. Gail Brewer waddled in late and the Q&A died at that point. I was disappointed by this meeting. We used to have better meetings when Al Doyle ran the show. The meetings we have now are just to showcase the politicians.

I no longer attend the meetings. They are a waste of time. I cannot deal with the showcasing of the politicians who formulated this dreadful deal with Blackstone. I can no longer stand them and the TA chirping about how things have improved here while ignoring the fact that it has become a dorm/transient dump with lax security and no adherence to rules and regulations. Last night my student neighbors must have slammed the door ten times and the smell of pot was wafting up from the student apt. below. So just keep putting up those kumbaya good neighbor signs Rick and Blackstone.

I doubt that. These doors date back to the 50's and weigh more than WE do.These people that slam their doors, the loud noise does not bother them in the least. It is amazing. NO RESPECT for their fellow neighbors. It's all about ME, ME and ME! Nobody cares about anyone else in this dump. They have this heads BURIED in their phones. You did a nice job Mommy and daddy! Hope your proud of your little pieces of $*&!.

I think most people have their doors in the position that they have to me slammed in order to close because the door knob doesn't turn. I keep mine with the little button on the side permanently pushed in because I am afraid of locking myself out when I go to the garbage chute. Therefore, I can close it gently and quietly.

The people who should be protecting their asses are the people at Blackstone because they are liable for any harm that befalls any tenant (or even non-tenant) caused by their negligence and indifference.

How can they enforce this when the workers here are the biggest violators, I for one witnessed a rider balancing a large box on his bike, dismounted to navigate the temporary fencing and then get back on. I questioned this action and his reply "it's ok I work here!

Until There Is Silence No More

The Tenants Association and our then councilman Dan Garodnick have mysteriously remained silent about a purported incident that occurred on July 12, 2017: the mugging by a group of individuals of someone right by Peter Cooper Village, along 20th Street.

I write this on May 3, 2018: Since this year, there have been three suicides in ST/PCV. Aside from silence by almost everyone, there occurred a suicide where sulfuric acid was used and the city had to be called in, including the Fire Dept. As of now, there has been a general state of silence about this suicide, even though other resident lives were at danger. Yes, our councilperson is silent. The TA is silent. Obviously, Management is silent, too.

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"We'll be introducing a new process to identify registered dogs thus enabling Public Safety Officers to clearly approach offending dog owners. The registration will hang from the leash handle; clearly identifying the dog as registered.

"If the dog is not registered by May 1; a summons will be issued at the point of contact. If we learn the dog owner is not a resident, they will be escorted off the property."

Rick Hayduk, CEO and General Manager of PCVST. Letter to Barry Shapiro, February 2016.

STR here: I have been around since the inception of this dog policy and I have NEVER seen anyone escorted out of ST or PCV with their non-lanyard dog. But I have seen, many times, a dog owner from outside, and his/her dog, casually walking through ST or PCV.

THINKING of Renting in PCVST?

Read Yelp reviews to find out what it's like living here. Please note: All apartments are currently "rent-stabilized" but that doesn't prevent apartments from going up to 4K to 6K a month and even higher. How does this happen? Ask our politicians! Fact: Now less than half of the complex's apartments have the old rents and it's getting worse year by year--or better if you are the Real Estate Board of New York!

The Other Yelp Reviews

Yelp can be tricky and bounce reviews for a variety of reasons, like being a member and posting just one review. Very often, however, these reviews hold important truths about what's being reviewed. READ THESE TOO.

BICYCLES, MOPEDS, SCOOTERS, ETC.

Of course, "private property" but "public access" - whatever that means! And if a part of it is public access, do the rules of the city apply to our roads and sidewalks? Or does anything give because this complex is "private property"? Who comes here in case of a fire in one of our buildings? The Stuy Town Fire Brigade?

Hint: Look both ways if you are in the complex. Look on the ground, too!

61.03 Control of dogs and other animals to prevent nuisance. (a) A person who owns, possesses or controls a dog, cat or other animal shall not permit the animal to commit a nuisance on a sidewalk of any public place, on a floor, wall, stairway, sidewalk, lawn, garden or roof of any public or private premises used in common by the public, or on a fence, wall [or], stairway or entranceway of a building abutting on a public place

Banned & Oversize Dog Breeds in Stuy Town

Looks like there is some difficulty in enforcing the ban on certain dog breeds allowed inside Stuy Town/Peter Cooper Village. Somehow pitbulls and pitbull mixes have been registered in STPCV and are allowed to be freely walked about the grounds! Registered dogs in the complex are max 50 pounds. Total, if there is more than one! More than two, it's illegal. It's going to get worse, and, face it, Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village will never be like it once was.

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Read it and Weep

Current Value of ST/PCV

Was 5.4 Billion Dollars when Tishman Speyer bought the place.Became 1.7 Billion Dollars when Tishman Speyer left, with their tail between their legs. Of course, tenants now have to make up the loss.

Ex-landlord

Rob Speyer

1947 Stuy Town Plaque Honoring Met Life Chairman F.H. Ecker (Removed in 2002 and never seen again)

"... who with the vision of experience and the energy of youth conceived and brought into being this project, and others like it, that families of moderate means might live in health, comfort and dignity in park-like communities and that a pattern might be set of private enterprise productively devoted to public service."

I am writing on behalf of everyone at Tishman Speyer to express how honored we are to become part of your outstanding community. We are a business with deep roots in New York, a true love of our city and a great respect for the neighborhoods that make it special. We are committed to maintaining the unique character and environment that have made Peter Cooper Village and Stuyvesant Town such a wonderful place to live for so long. We look forward to providing you an extraordinary level of service and attentiveness that will be the source of pride and satisfaction for the entire community.

Neighborhood Recommendations

New to Stuy Town/Peter Cooper Village? Here are some basic recommendations.

Best supermarket: Associated on 14th St. between 1st Ave. and Ave A. The cheapest prices, fantastic weekly sales, very affordable lunches; solid, responsive management, but earthy. Some of the young female cashiers have attitude to spare, though. May be too far for Peter Cooper residents.

Best gym: Don't waste your money on the Oval Fitness Gym. Instead go to the earthy but real Asser Levy Recreational Center, right above 23rd St on Asser Levy Place (near the FDR Drive). $75 for a year's membership; seniors are almost free. Contains seasonal indoor and outdoor swimming pools, ping-pong table, two pool tables. Called by some rich people who wouldn't get caught going there "the prison gym," and you know why.

A Stuy Town favorite is Lenz's on 20 St. between the 20 St. Loop. The way New York used to be. Be careful of unwanted "pepper" in your food, however. Lenz's got a B grade rating and was temporarily closed down due to an order from the Health Department. Bruno's on First Avenue is more upscale, with a greater selection of food items (higher-priced, too), but was closed down temporarily by the Health Department. Stuy Town's own cafe was closed, too! And not because of all the dogs that hover and piss outside.

Gracefully has two locations, but we prefer for its size the one on 1st Ave. Prices are high and reflect the new tenants that are currently renting Stuy Town and Peter Cooper apartments. ("Do you have a credit card?") We like Gracefully's lunch specials, which are somewhat affordable.

I priced the CVS on 1st Ave near 14st. The non-aerosol hairspray was 20 cents above CVS' own website price, and one of the highest in NY. (Yes, I have hair.) You can save at least a dollar or more buying at another place. So beware. Look around for a better deal on all your items.

I love warm Quaker Oats in the morning. Gristedes is not the place to get it, nor is Associated, though their price is less. Look around!

Macular Degeneration Support Group

If you are currently diagnosed with Macular Degeneration, the New York Eye & Ear Infirmary is offering a support group for you. Conveniently located next to the Peter Cooper Village Stuyvesant Town apartment complex, our group offers the opportunity to share stories with other members, listen to expert guest speakers, and learn coping strategies to reduce stress. Our group runs on the first Wednesday of every month and we would enjoy seeing you there.
Please contact Baptiste Nicolas, Social Work Assistant at 212-979-4105 for further information and to see if this group is right for you!